CHIEF Ngabwe’s retainer Jim Mangaila, who was the lead suspect in the disappearance of a miner who is believed to have been murdered in September last year, has died in Kabwe General Hospital after falling ill while in police custody.

Head of clinical care services at the hospital Victor Kusweji confirmed the death of Mr. Mangaila who has been admitted for almost a month since he fell ill while in police custody following the disappearance of Mr Donald Muleba last year.

Dr. Kusweji said Mr. Mangaila died in the early hours of Thursday due to heart complications in ward six to which he was admitted while handcuffed to a hospital bed under the guard of prison officers.

“I can confirm that Chief Ngabwe’s retainer Jim Mangaila died in the early hours of today in Kabwe General Hospital where he was admitted for almost a month. He died from heart complications,” Dr. Kusweji said.

Mr. Mangaila was arrested six months ago to help police with investigations into the suspected murder of Mr. Muleba, a miner at Bando mine who was last seen on 1st September 2015 during the coronation of Ignitious Kashoka as Chief Ngabwe.

After his arrest, several other suspects believed to be connected to the murder, were arrested but later released in unexplained circumstances, a move that raised questions from Mr. Muleba’s family.

Mr. Muleba’s wife, Fan, told the Daily Nation two weeks ago that the family has been kept in the cold over the trail of the suspects.

“We don’t know anything. We literally have to press police for updates which are not convincing. Last time we asked them, they told us that some people were taken to court but some people who were found with my husband’s clothes, a wrist watch, and gumboots have been released and we don’t know how they were released,” Ms. Muleba said.

She accused the police of employing delaying tactics into the issue which was clear that her husband might have been murdered by the person he was last seen with.